


Boundaries

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots IR [15]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Kendo, Pre-Relationship, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 09:48:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15883587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: The Kendo club of Karakura high will be attending a two-day tournament, and Asano Keigo is sure something will develop between the two captains.





	Boundaries

”A tournament? In  _Kansai_?” Asano Keigo echoed, grinning at his friend. “Ichigo, this will be your chance!”

“At what?” Ichigo scowled at Keigo. “Winning? I mean I hope to do decently but I’m not sure I can win the whole tournament. Those Kansai kendoka are no joke.”

“No, stupid! Forget the tournament! This is your chance to get with Kuchiki-senpai!”

Ichigo’s scowl darkened and he decidedly ignored the heat threatening to rise to his cheeks. “S-shut up.”

The kendo club of their school was split into the women’s team and the men’s team, although they frequently practised together. Since Kuchiki Rukia was the captain of the women’s team for the second year running, and Ichigo had been made the captain of the men’s team at the start of this school year, they’d spent a fair amount of time together.

Actually, they’d grown quite close too – though not in the sense Keigo was busy implying.

And Keigo still hadn’t given up.

“But it’s a two-day tournament, right?” he asked Ichigo. “That means it’s an  _overnight trip_!”

“There will be no ‘getting’ with Rukia,” Ichigo told him. “It’s not like that.”

It was a protest he’d made a countless of times before. And would doubtless be making a countless of times in the future. Because Keigo refused to believe there was anything more than friendship between Ichigo and Rukia.

Ichigo couldn’t blame him, much as he’d like to. He was less and less certain each day about the nature of his regard towards Kuchiki Rukia.

 

* * *

 

 

The day of the tournament dawned, and the Karakura high kendo club was gathering in the schoolyard. The club members were uncharacteristically subdued, but the lack of the usual cheerful boisterousness was explained by the ungodly early hour. Many of his fellow club members were yawning. And few, Ichigo silently suspected, might have been asleep on their feet.

Even the teacher supervising them for the trip appeared haggard and tired.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was purely a ball of nerves.

The bus curved into the schoolyard through the open gates and the students stirred. The teacher strode out to have a word with the driver as soon as the bus had pulled to a stop, and the students started to gather their things.

Ichigo frowned.

Where the heck was Rukia?

It wasn’t like her to be late.

Even as he was thinking of her, a movement at the edge of his vision caught his attention.

A sleek black car – a very expensive looking car with  _tinted windows_  no less – was just pulling to a curb outside the school gates.

The back door opened and Rukia rushed out, pulling her luggage after her.

She looked absolutely dwarfed, the way she was clutching to her bundled up swords, armour and the small suitcase.

Ichigo was moving before any conscious thought had taken form in his brain. He crossed the schoolyard and met Rukia at the gates, wresting the suitcase from her without a word.

She slanted him a look and raised her eyebrow. “Good morning, Ichigo.”

“Morning,” he grunted, falling into a step beside her.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yeah. You were the last one,” Ichigo replied.

“I figured.” Rukia grimaced. “I slept in. Today of all mornings. But I guess it figures.” She sighed.

“Figures how?” Ichigo asked.

“I was too excited for this trip and the tournament,” Rukia confessed. “I was tossing and turning half the night. I don’t think I fell asleep before 3 am.”

If that was true, Ichigo thought, she’d only got a few hours of sleep. She must’ve been exhausted.

Upon closer inspection, he did notice she looked a little paler than usual. Her short dark hair was tousled, her violet eyes soft.

She looked even lovelier than usual.

Ichigo resolutely looked away and fixed his gaze on the bus.

They joined the line of students and shuffled along, stowing their luggage into the luggage compartment of the bus.

He and Rukia were the last ones to board the bus. Ichigo plopped down to the nearest free seat.

To his surprise, Rukia sat down next to him.

Their teacher was taking a headcount, then declared all was ready to go.

The bus’s engine rumbled to life.

Rukia yawned and turned to look at him.

“Do you mind if I try to sleep for a while?”

“Go for it,” Ichigo told her gruffly. “It’s gonna take a few hours to get there and you need the rest.”

She flashed him a quick smile.

“Thank you.”

Ichigo scowled. He couldn’t see why she’d need his permission to begin with – or at least he didn’t until the warm weight of her settled against his arm.

Ichigo’s spine stiffened.

He glanced down.

There she was, comfortably leaning against him, her eyes closed, her posture relaxed.

Flustered, Ichigo looked out of the window and tried to ignore his racing heart.

After a couple of minutes, the tension seeped away from his body, although his chest still felt tight and flush with heat.

Even through the sleeve of his school uniform, he could feel Rukia’s soft breath tickle his arm.

She was fast asleep.

Ichigo looked at her and smiled.

 


End file.
